


Of Monsters and Men

by PlatonicLovers



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, Episode: s05e07 Ina Paha (If Perhaps), Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 16:49:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2780528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlatonicLovers/pseuds/PlatonicLovers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is haunted by his torture and Danny helps him overcome his battles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Monsters and Men

**Author's Note:**

> Since I wrote episode related fics for 5x04 and 5x08, this is a belated episode tag set a week after the events of 5x07. Also, a moment of silence for the incredible and talent acting of Alex O’Loughlin who can evoke so many emotions. Enjoy reading :)

_The bright light was blinding. He felt the cold hard floor underneath and behind him but he pressed closer into the corner anyway, hoping it might suddenly open and he could crawl out and be free. He brought his knees to his chest and held himself like a shield in hopes that they wouldn’t come back for him._

_The gas seeped into the room as fog would haze the sky on a dull morning. When he stood up to check the ventilation, a sharp pain in arm made him wince. He banged on the windowless walls, knowing here had to be some sort of exit to the box he was contained in. The room became cloudy from the gas and the next thing Steve felt was floating towards the floor while his eyelids softly closed._

_Unaware of how much time had passed, Steve tried to open his eyes again but it was now dark like a cloth was covering his face. He felt something sharp prickle the back of his neck, and then again down his arms. When his vision was unmasked, he saw his arms covered in blood, with more than a dozen needle wounds. The blood trickled down his body, emerging from his neck and chest too. He attempted to call out but suddenly realized there was duck tape covering his mouth and violently tried to shake his hands out of the cuffs. Rocking back and forth, the chair tipped over and Steve awoke with a jolt._

Danny felt the bed next to him move repeatedly and although Steve tossed and turned in his sleep, he sensed a heightened degree of restlessness. He opened his eyes lazily and switched on the lamp on his bedside table before turning to Steve. Danny watched Steve squirm around, wearing an anxious look on his face.

“Babe?” Danny asked gently, careful not to shake him or provoke any further panic.

Suddenly, Steve sat upright in bed, breathing deeply. He slowly came to and acknowledging his surroundings; a worried looking Danny to his left; the hint of moonlight creeping through the edges of the curtains and the comfort and safely of his bed and home.

“Wo-Fat?” He quietly asked and Danny noticed how scared Steve looked. It was the third time this week and although he didn’t know the full extent of the dreams, he suspected it was flashbacks of the torture.

“He’s dead babe. He can’t get you anymore.” Danny softly touched his arm and although Steve flinched at first, he allowed himself to melt into his partner. A part of Danny wished he had killed Wo-Fat himself for making Steve, the bravest and most heroic man he knew, feel uncomfortable in his own skin. Even though Steve tried to hide his feelings of helplessness and vulnerability he couldn’t fool Danny into thinking otherwise who knew when his boyfriend was troubled.

Danny noticed the heat and dampness of Steve’s body from sweating and asked if he wanted to take a shower. He nodded and Danny embraced him tightly once more, before directing them towards the bathroom. Steve robotically shed his clothes as Danny turned on the shower and set the temperature. He stood under the falling water and focused on his breathing, pushing everything else to the back of his mind. The steady pace of his heart beat let him know that he was okay; that he was alive.

Seven minutes later, Steve stepped out of the shower and Danny handed him a towel and a fresh pair of sweats. As he changed, Danny ran a towel through Steve’s wet hair.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled feebly once he’d finished changing.

“Don’t you dare. You’re stronger than this, I know you are babe. You’ll get through it and I’m going to make sure of it.” Danny held either side of Steve’s head in his hands, forcing him to make eye contact. They rested their foreheads against each other for a moment before Danny gently pressed a kiss to his lips.

“I love you, super SEAL.”

Steve closed his eyes and thought of the countless times Danny had brought him back from the abyss. From his father to Freddie to this, he had always been there, saying all the right things and keeping Steve sane. He wrapped his arms around his partner's shoulders and sunk into the crook of his neck.

 “Love you loads Danno. Don’t wanna go back to bed just yet.” He murmured

Danny cuddled closer to his chest and replied, “We don’t have to babe. Let’s go watch some TV.”

* * *

Danny placed Steve in front of the TV and went to go get him a glass of water. He returned to find Steve’s knees up against his chest on the sofa and cradling himself with his arms. Danny attempted to unfold Steve’s posture and make him drink before sitting down himself and stretching his legs out onto the coffee table. Steve mimicked him soon after and shifted to lean into Danny’s side while the two were half paying attention to the late night shopping channels. A short while later, Steve abruptly moved, turning to Danny.

“I wanna go somewhere.”

Danny placed a gentle hand on Steve’s leg. “It’s half three in the morning babe. Where do you wanna go?”

“I dunno. Anywhere… but here.” Steve stood up, grabbed his pullover from the coat rack then picked up Danny’s and tossed it to him. He then opened the door. “You coming?”

“Of course I’m coming. And I’m driving.” he replied, closing the door on his way out.

For once, Steve didn’t argue and he rolled down the window taking in the fresh air although it was slightly chilly. He observed all the shops he’d frequented and houses and landmarks he’d passed on a daily basis but never paid much attention to until now. Even though it was still night-time, he liked how the street lights lit up the road like a beacon guiding people on their journeys.

“You know, when Grace was a baby and she couldn’t sleep, she cried for ages. One day I had to drop off something to a friend and took her along since she was awake. It was only fifteen away but she was knocked out by the time we got back. So after when she couldn’t sleep I’d take her for a ride round the block.” Danny reminisced.

“That’s real cute Danno.” Steve placed his palm on top of Danny’s which was resting on the gear box and gave it a short squeeze before pulling back. “You comparing a badass Navy SEAL to a crying baby though, babe?”

“At least she lets me drive.” Danny grinned and they briefly smiled. One of the things he loved most about Steve was his resilience. No matter how bad things got, Steve somehow always managed to bounce back, even if he was on the edge.

They drove for twenty minutes and Steve became comfortable resting in the car while Danny looked over frequently to check on him.

 “Do you want to talk about it?” Danny asked gently. He pulled over to park on the side of the street so he could give Steve his undivided attention.

Steve began putting the words together in his mind. A moment later, he spoke.  “I know my father is gone. I’ve accepted that for the last however many years and I’ve learnt to re-accept it this last week. It’s just…The mental part. That’s what keeps getting to me. He damaged my skin but it feels like so much more. It’s like he messed with my head too and I don’t know if I’m going crazy or it’s the after effects of the drugs but I feel like I’m in someone else’s body. This isn’t me.”

Danny took hold of both of Steve’s hands and gripped them firmly. “This is you. Some fucked up things happened but you’re still the same wonderfully annoyingly remarkable person I know. Don’t let this define you Steve.”

“But what if next week, or even next month things are still this shitty?” Steve asked nervously.

Danny curled his fingers under Steve’s chin, tilting his head so Steve faced him. “It’ll take some time and I know you like suppressing all your feeling like a macho army man but we’ll deal with it and get through it. I’m here for you babe; one day at a time, remember?” 

It was amazing how Danny could be so calm and sure when Steve was the opposite; something he was incredibly thankful for.  “One day at a time.” He nodded in agreement.

“We get knocked down, we get back up. We get shot at, we get back up.” Danny hesitated. “We lose people, we get back up too. And when we get hurt, we get up and get through it ten times stronger. I got your back babe; we’ll do it together okay.” He promised.

He knew Danny wasn’t just talking about being in a relationship. The word 'partner' applied in every sense and Steve could barely count the dozens of times Danny had saved his ass on the job. Heck, the guy had even stayed behind to help him get out of jail when he could have gotten his family back. No matter how Steve felt about himself, it was obvious how strongly Danny felt about him and he was grateful he had at least one constant in his life he could truly rely on.

“You okay babe?” he inquired as Steve had been quiet for a while.

“Better. Honestly. You’re everything, you know? To me I mean; you make it all better.” Danny lifted Steve’s hands up to his lips and firmly kissed them. They shared a reassuring smile before he restarted the car, intent on driving a few more blocks before going home.

 “I could do with some shave ice though.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Up for some light breaking and entering?”

“Always.”  He smirked. 

For today, he knew he would be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I feel like I overuse their names because writing 'he' or 'him' can become complicated; however, I'd like to believe this is better than the first draft version ;) Thank you for reading and reviews/kudos are always appreciated :)!


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